1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus (such as a digital camera) for recording inspection data (data to inspect whether image data is modified or not) for image data of a picked-up image together with the image data onto a recording medium.
2. Related Background Art
Some currently available digital cameras employ recording methods including a JPEG method and a RAW method. The JPEG method is a recording method for adjusting image data of a picked-up image according to plural image adjustment values, compressing the adjusted image data according to a JPEG compression method in conformity with the ISO/IEC 10918-1 standard, and recording JPEG image data obtained by compression together with its additional data. The RAW method is a recording method for compressing image data of a picked-up image according to a lossless compression method, which is an image compression method causing no image deterioration, and recording RAW image data obtained by compression together with its additional data.
In the case where image data of a picked-up image is added with inspection data necessary to inspect whether the image data is modified or not, a generation method of inspection data may preferably be selected according to the recording method adopted for the image data. For example, RAW image data is generally larger in data amount than JPEG image data, so that it is desirable that a generation method of inspection data intended for the RAW image data be faster in processing speed than a generation method of inspection data intended for the JPEG image data.
However, no currently available digital cameras can attain to select the generation method of inspection data according to the recording method of image data.
If the currently available digital cameras are arranged to enable the selection of the generation method of inspection data according to the recording method of image data, it is necessary to notify an inspection device of the generation method of inspection data. In addition, it is necessary to notify the inspection device of a location of data for which inspection data is intended.
However, the currently available digital cameras are capable of neither notifying the inspection device of the generation method of inspection data, nor notifying the inspection device of the location of data for which inspection data is intended.